Improvement in machines for straightening or curving rails



G. WILLISTONQ I Curving Metal Rails. No. 10,200; Patented Nov. 1,1853.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE \VILLISTON, OF BRUNSIVIOK, MAINE.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR STRAIGHTENING 0R CURVING RAILS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 10,200, dated November1, 1853.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WILLIsTQN, of Brunswick, in the county ofCumberland and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful machinefor straightening or curving rails after they are laid on the trackwithout removing them from the bed or sleepers, of which the followingis a specification.

It often occurs on railroads that when the train passes over the trackthose rails which have not uniformly solid bearings bend under theweight and render the road at such places uneven. For straighteningrails so bent my machine is applicable, with this advantage, that therail is straightened to its proper place without being taken from thesleepers.

I do declare that the following is a full and exact description of themachine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which make apart of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in placing over the part of the railwhich is bent (by the weight of the train in passing) a curved beamwhich has its bearings on the railnearthe end of the beam. Then by acontrivance which embraces the rail I turn a screw which has powersufficient to raise the bent portion to its original position, where itmay be secured.

To enable others to make and use my invention, I will describe itsconstruction and operation.

I first prepare a beam, say, six feet long, one foot wide, and sixinches thick, or the same thickness as the rail to be straightened. Thismay be one stick or two planks bolted together, as shown on Figure 1 ofthe accompanying drawings. On the edge of the beam I bolt two bars ofiron for the purpose of receiving two slides, Fig. 6, which are thebearings on which the beam rests on the rail to be straightened, andthey should be so extended on the beam as to embrace the bentpart of therail when placed upon it. On the opposite edge of the beam, or uppermostside when on the rail, I secure a socket, Fig. 4, on which the screwmust bear. I now obtain a screw, Fig. 10, say, two feet or two and ahalf in length, with two holes through the head at right angles toreceive a lever to work it, and the screw of sufficient size to give thenecessary power. I now procure a nut, Fig. 7, say, eight inches wide andsix inches thick. I now take a bar of iron, say, an inch square, weldedin the form of a link. This I bend, having both ends of a length, untilthe two sides shall be of the distance asunder as the beam is thick.This link, now in the form of a strap, is passed over the nut, Fig. 7,and the nut mortised or cut on the corners to receive the strap similarto a tenon. This strap is kept in its place in the middle of the beam bytwo iron clasps on each side, Fig. 2, so that the strap is kept in itsplace and yet allowed to move up and down on the sides of the beam whenoperated upon by the turning of the screw. The machine so constructed Iplace upon the rail to be straightened,and the slides, Fig. 6,properlyadjusted on the rail. The strap now reaches belowthe rail, and an ironpin, Fig. 9, is passed under the rail and rests on the lower part of thestrap, the same being the ends of the link. In this position the claspby the bolt embraces the rail and the nut, Fig. 7, so that as much asthe distance is increased between the nut, Fig. 7, and the beam,Fig. 1,so much is the rail raised at the clasp by turning the screw. When therail so raised is brought to its proper height,the sleepers are secured,if 1'1eoessary,by additional gravel or other substances placed underthem. The beam, Fig. 1, may be slightly curved, if necessary; but ingeneral the slides are sut'ficient. \Vhen it is necessary to curve arail or straighten it laterally, the machine-can be used with equal advantage by turning the machine on its side and the screw'operated bylever, as above described.

I am aware that a machine has been used in Bavaria which acts by thepressure of a screw upon the bar to be bent, the hearing or platformbeing placed underneath the bar. This mode of action I do not claim; but

hat I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of the screw, strap, beam, and slides, constructed andcombined substantially in the manner described, with the beam placed onthe top or side of the rail, for the purpose of straightening or curvingrails on railroads without the necessity of removing the same from thesleepers.

GEORGE \VILLISTON.

\Yitnesses:

THOMAS ESTABROOK, E. G. SIMPSON.

